La Taquisa (a taco truck in Cook St. Village that Dubz mentioned) is great then! They have a few options for vegan tacos and burritos. It's all super filling. It's closed now for winter but should be open by the time you are here. There's also a newish falafel place across from Moksha (now that I know what I'm talking about :P), and Pizzaria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village is awesome. Speaking of CSV, The Beagle Pub just added a couple of vegan options to their menu. And in CSV, there is also a charming indoor food court with Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian vegan options.

La Taquisa (a taco truck in Cook St. Village that Dubz mentioned) is great then! They have a few options for vegan tacos and burritos. It's all super filling. It's closed now for winter but should be open by the time you are here. There's also a newish falafel place across from Moksha (now that I know what I'm talking about :P), and Pizzaria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village is awesome. Speaking of CSV, The Beagle Pub just added a couple of vegan options to their menu. And in CSV, there is also a charming indoor food court with Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian vegan options.

La Taquisa (a taco truck in Cook St. Village that Dubz mentioned) is great then! They have a few options for vegan tacos and burritos. It's all super filling. It's closed now for winter but should be open by the time you are here. There's also a newish falafel place across from Moksha (now that I know what I'm talking about :P), and Pizzaria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village is awesome. Speaking of CSV, The Beagle Pub just added a couple of vegan options to their menu. And in CSV, there is also a charming indoor food court with Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian vegan options.

Have fun! I love Moksha. Beautiful space, beautiful practice.

Is the falafel place literally across from Moksha or a block up, by the pizza place on the other side of Yates? If it's that one, I have some info that makes me not want to support them at all and can PM you about it (and anyone else, I just don't want to put it out there on the big wide web).

_________________"I'd rather have dried catshit! I'd rather have astroturf! I'd rather have an igloo!"~Isa

"But really, anyone willing to dangle their baby in front of a crocodile is A-OK in my book."~SSD

La Taquisa (a taco truck in Cook St. Village that Dubz mentioned) is great then! They have a few options for vegan tacos and burritos. It's all super filling. It's closed now for winter but should be open by the time you are here. There's also a newish falafel place across from Moksha (now that I know what I'm talking about :P), and Pizzaria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village is awesome. Speaking of CSV, The Beagle Pub just added a couple of vegan options to their menu. And in CSV, there is also a charming indoor food court with Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian vegan options.

Have fun! I love Moksha. Beautiful space, beautiful practice.

Is the falafel place literally across from Moksha or a block up, by the pizza place on the other side of Yates? If it's that one, I have some info that makes me not want to support them at all and can PM you about it (and anyone else, I just don't want to put it out there on the big wide web).

No, it's on Fort, but I would still like to hear about the Yates place!

La Taquisa (a taco truck in Cook St. Village that Dubz mentioned) is great then! They have a few options for vegan tacos and burritos. It's all super filling. It's closed now for winter but should be open by the time you are here. There's also a newish falafel place across from Moksha (now that I know what I'm talking about :P), and Pizzaria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village is awesome. Speaking of CSV, The Beagle Pub just added a couple of vegan options to their menu. And in CSV, there is also a charming indoor food court with Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian vegan options.

Have fun! I love Moksha. Beautiful space, beautiful practice.

Is the falafel place literally across from Moksha or a block up, by the pizza place on the other side of Yates? If it's that one, I have some info that makes me not want to support them at all and can PM you about it (and anyone else, I just don't want to put it out there on the big wide web).

Oh and if you have time for a little day trip to check out Sidney and its bookshops, there is a new raw place right in the middle of all the shops. It's called Love Cafe and is reasonably priced for the quality of the ingredients they use. They also have cooked soups. I am a tough sell on raw food but what I ordered (a nori wrap filled with veggies and some sort of spread) with soup was delicious. I live on the peninsula so this'll probably end up being a regular stop for me. :)

Oh and if you have time for a little day trip to check out Sidney and its bookshops, there is a new raw place right in the middle of all the shops. It's called Love Cafe and is reasonably priced for the quality of the ingredients they use. They also have cooked soups. I am a tough sell on raw food but what I ordered (a nori wrap filled with veggies and some sort of spread) with soup was delicious. I live on the peninsula so this'll probably end up being a regular stop for me. :)

Oooooh, that's awesome! I sometimes stop in Sidney to catch the ferry to visit my hometown. I'll have to check that out next time I'm there!

_________________when you realise how perfect everything is, you will tilt you head back and laugh at the sky. -buddha

Hey guys, me again :). I have another question - I'm staying at the Craigmyle Guest House on Craigdarroch Road. There's a fridge there, so I'm hoping to be able to cook a bunch of stuff before training starts and freeze it. Do you know if there are any grocery stores, bulk food stores or health food stores near there? Thanks :)

Dear Nanaimo:How are you such a raw food mecca? We were going to stop at the Home Depot for a Harvee's veggie burger on the way to the ferry and found 2 raw restaurants in the strip mall there. Crazy. So we ate at one of them instead of Harvee's.

Hey guys, me again :). I have another question - I'm staying at the Craigmyle Guest House on Craigdarroch Road. There's a fridge there, so I'm hoping to be able to cook a bunch of stuff before training starts and freeze it. Do you know if there are any grocery stores, bulk food stores or health food stores near there? Thanks :)

You have Market on Yates fairly close, and a great grocery store (Peppers) beside an amazing bulk store in Cadboro Bay. There is also an insanely amazing pharmacy that just happens to have 2-3 aisles of (CHEAP!) elusive health food items/vegan stuff. It's right by the hospital on Fort street, which is super close to where you are. Also close is Shine Cafe, which has delicious vegan breakfast. Market on Yates will probably have you covered for groceries.

In other news, you can get vegan froyo in Mayfair Mall now. I don't think I would have ever known if I hadn't ventured into the mall to go to Sephora. It's actually really good! More like soft-serve ice cream than frozen yogurt, but I'm not complaining.

Dear Nanaimo:How are you such a raw food mecca? We were going to stop at the Home Depot for a Harvee's veggie burger on the way to the ferry and found 2 raw restaurants in the strip mall there. Crazy. So we ate at one of them instead of Harvee's.

Yay. I never see anyone post about Nanaimo! We have FOUR raw restaurants here. Two where you were, and two downtown! Also, there's at least one in Qualicum nearby that makes the best cheesecake and macaroons I've ever had.

_________________when you realise how perfect everything is, you will tilt you head back and laugh at the sky. -buddha

Hey guys, me again :). I have another question - I'm staying at the Craigmyle Guest House on Craigdarroch Road. There's a fridge there, so I'm hoping to be able to cook a bunch of stuff before training starts and freeze it. Do you know if there are any grocery stores, bulk food stores or health food stores near there? Thanks :)

You have Market on Yates fairly close, and a great grocery store (Peppers) beside an amazing bulk store in Cadboro Bay. There is also an insanely amazing pharmacy that just happens to have 2-3 aisles of (CHEAP!) elusive health food items/vegan stuff. It's right by the hospital on Fort street, which is super close to where you are. Also close is Shine Cafe, which has delicious vegan breakfast. Market on Yates will probably have you covered for groceries.

In other news, you can get vegan froyo in Mayfair Mall now. I don't think I would have ever known if I hadn't ventured into the mall to go to Sephora. It's actually really good! More like soft-serve ice cream than frozen yogurt, but I'm not complaining.

I miss the Magical Vegan Pharmasave!

_________________"I'd rather have dried catshit! I'd rather have astroturf! I'd rather have an igloo!"~Isa

"But really, anyone willing to dangle their baby in front of a crocodile is A-OK in my book."~SSD

Hey guys, me again :). I have another question - I'm staying at the Craigmyle Guest House on Craigdarroch Road. There's a fridge there, so I'm hoping to be able to cook a bunch of stuff before training starts and freeze it. Do you know if there are any grocery stores, bulk food stores or health food stores near there? Thanks :)

You have Market on Yates fairly close, and a great grocery store (Peppers) beside an amazing bulk store in Cadboro Bay. There is also an insanely amazing pharmacy that just happens to have 2-3 aisles of (CHEAP!) elusive health food items/vegan stuff. It's right by the hospital on Fort street, which is super close to where you are. Also close is Shine Cafe, which has delicious vegan breakfast. Market on Yates will probably have you covered for groceries.

In other news, you can get vegan froyo in Mayfair Mall now. I don't think I would have ever known if I hadn't ventured into the mall to go to Sephora. It's actually really good! More like soft-serve ice cream than frozen yogurt, but I'm not complaining.

I miss the Magical Vegan Pharmasave!

Thank you guys! I will definitely have to check all these out :). I was hoping for a great bulk food store!

Yeah you do! It's better than ever. And it's not a Pharmasave anymore, but it's still just as good (better?). Last time I was there they had Field Roast celebration roasts for like, five bucks. Best drugstore ever. I was getting a prescription filled and was annoyed when they finished it after a mere twenty minutes. They have the best random shiitake there too. I've bought two dresses, tonnes of fun socks, and random household decorations there. That store and Goats on the Roof in Coombs are where I buy all my coolest stuff. :)

I lived most of my life on the Island and would always plan my drives up and down around the hours of the Thirsty Camel Cafe in Nanaimo. "Politically correct" Middle Eastern food. Falafel and the like. Very vegan friendly including treats and organic sodas. Really charming cafe right downtown with pamphlets and articles about social justice issues stuck under the glass tabletops. Unfortunately they're only open until 3pm or something but to me it was worth waking up early for.

There will always be a place in my heart for Tita's Mexican Restaurant in Courtenay, since I worked there when I was 17. Authentic Mexican means not a ton of vegan options, but they know their stuff and they will make you a DAMN fine burrito, or cena, or tostada, not to mention fresh margaritas from the seasonal fruit grown in their own courtyard.

I was watching You Gotta Eat Here! on Food Network today and they were at John's Place in Victoria. Everything on the show was non-vegan, but I looked at their menu, and supposedly they have a vegan burrito? Anyone try it? I think it'd be a good option for brunch, if it's any good, since the girl I'm travelling with is omni :)

I was watching You Gotta Eat Here! on Food Network today and they were at John's Place in Victoria. Everything on the show was non-vegan, but I looked at their menu, and supposedly they have a vegan burrito? Anyone try it? I think it'd be a good option for brunch, if it's any good, since the girl I'm travelling with is omni :)

Meh. John's Place sucks! Go one block down and eat at Mo:Le. Vegan and omni-friendly!

I was watching You Gotta Eat Here! on Food Network today and they were at John's Place in Victoria. Everything on the show was non-vegan, but I looked at their menu, and supposedly they have a vegan burrito? Anyone try it? I think it'd be a good option for brunch, if it's any good, since the girl I'm travelling with is omni :)

Meh. John's Place sucks! Go one block down and eat at Mo:Le. Vegan and omni-friendly!

I'll be visiting Victoria & hopefully elsewhere on Vancouver Island / other islands. I'd love to meet up with folks & would greatly appreciate your suggestions on how best to enjoy my visit. In particular, I'm looking for ways to stretch my rather limited travel budget - care for a dinner guest? ;-p

I like staying at the Ocean Island (I used to live on Salt Spring but I was taking weekend courses in Victoria). It's cheap! You can get tiny private rooms that don't smell so fresh but are clean-ish and for a hostel it's pretty relaxing and very central. You can also stay in the dorms if you are down with that, but I kind of like holing up in the tiniest of rooms.

I just wanted to pop in here and warn you all against the rip-off vegan menu at the Bengal Lounge (the Empress). We wanted to go somewhere fancier for my birthday and I knew they had a vegan menu, which is great, but the food was AWFUL, which is not great.